What Took Him So Long?
by javaangel
Summary: a one-shot of Luke's thoughts. takes place early season 5-before 'Not as Cute as Pushkin'


Luke slowly woke up. It wasn't quite day light yet, but there was still some light filtering in through the windows. He looked over at the woman asleep next to him. In her sleep she looked extremely peaceful. She had one arm wrapped around his midsection, and her head resting on her chest. He wondered why it had taken him so long to get here. In the past it seemed like it was never the right time. She was with Christopher, then max, then Christopher again, then the fish guy, then Jason. He hadn't remained single 100 of the time, but he was mainly with someone to attempt to get over her. There was also the period of time where he was married. But the marriage was doomed from the start. His heart was never in it. And Nicole probably knew that, which was probably why she cheated on him. It should have hurt him more than it did, he knew. But he didn't love Nicole. He loved someone else. It was a bit too early in the current relationship to tell her that he loved her, but that was the truth of it. But if he told her now he might scare her off. She was famous for her habit of running away from relationships. And the few times she didn't, the guy left, or did something really stupid. Like that whole thing with Christopher. She had come into his diner extremely upset. Even though they were in a fight, he could tell. He could always tell.

LUKE: We're closed.

LORELAI: I know. Look, I didn't come here to make up, or to try to get you to forgive me, or talk. I wouldn't even have come here at all but I had a really crappy night and I really, really need a cup of coffee. Just pretend I'm not me. I'm Mimi, a new customer. I've never been in here before. I was just walking down the street and I spotted this place. 'Ooh, hey, nice place.' And I came in. Now Mimi is going to pour herself a cup of coffee and sit over here way far away from you, and she promises, just as soon as she's done, she will rinse out her own cup and leave.

Lorelai pours herself a cup of coffee and sits at the end of the counter.

LORELAI: This is the second time I let myself do this.

LUKE: Do what?

LORELAI: Think I finally found it.

LUKE: Found what?

LORELAI: Love, comfort, safety.

LUKE: Ah.

LORELAI: I mean, first with Max, which of course, I screwed up, and then with Christopher, which of course, all the elements of the universe got together to screw up.

LUKE: Yup, it's tough when the universe is against you. That's like taking on the Manhattan garbage union.

LORELAI: I always thought if he could just get it together, grow up – maybe we could do it. Maybe we could really be a family, in the stupid, traditional 'Dan Quayle, golden retriever, grow old together, wear matching jogging suits' kind of way. And then he did get it together – he became that guy . . . and he gets to be that guy with her. Chris is gonna have a baby with his girlfriend. He's gonna marry her. . .and he's gonna be there for her while she's pregnant and he's gonna be there with her while her child grows up, and he's gonna be there for her while she does. . . whatever it is she does. And I am in exactly the same place that I was in before.

LUKE: Is that so bad? I mean, you got Rory.

LORELAI: Yes, I do.

LUKE: You got friends; you got a house, a job, apparently an iron stomach.

LORELAI: No, it's not so bad. I'm lucky, I know. I just. . . I feel like I'm never gonna have it . . . the whole package, you know? That person, that couple life and I swear, I hate admitting it because I fancy myself Wonder Woman, but . . . I really want it – the whole package.

Luke puts a donut on a plate, then slides it down the counter to her

LUKE: You'll get it.

LORELAI: How do you know?

LUKE: I know.

LORELAI: How do you know?

LUKE: Because I know, okay? I know. Now eat your donut.

LORELAI: I'm really not very hungry.

LUKE: Well, take it with you. You will be later.

Lorelai wraps up the donut and puts it in her purse, then pulls out some money

LUKE: Forget it, first time customers are on the house. Mimi, was it?

LORELAI: Yeah.

LUKE: Come again, Mimi.

And just like that the fight was over. Looking at her, asleep, he knew he had never seen anyone that was more beautiful. Even first thing in the morning. Like the time he had woken her up at 6:30, which was extremely early for her, by fixing her porch rail

LORELAI: Hey.

LUKE: Hey.

LORELAI: How are you today?

LUKE: Good, how are you?

LORELAI: Good, good. What are you doing?

LUKE: Fixing your porch rail.

LORELAI: That's right. You are. You're fixing my porch rail. . . . At six thirty in the morning!

LUKE: It was the only time I could do it.

LORELAI: Why? Why?

LUKE: It was broken. I noticed last time I was here. It could hurt somebody.

LORELAI: Luke, we sleep around here. Okay, we like it. It makes us pretty and keeps us from killing our crazy friends!

LUKE: You're gonna wake the neighbors.

LORELAI: UGH! Could you pound one more thing while you're out here? Your head! And a for-sale sign on the lawn because we're moving! So that's two things. The sign and your head! And in that order 'cause otherwise you'll be too dizzy to do the sign thing!

He laughed internally at that memory. She was always crazy when woken up first thing in the morning with no coffee. As much as her coffee and junk food addiction bugged him, it was only because he wanted her to live a good, long life. Now that he had her, Luke didn't know what he would do if he ever lost her.


End file.
